northernjohn

Promotions here mean nothing....wife went to local branch of the friendly clown to get artificial food for niece's birthday..had allready printed form internet their promotion....got told no had to order that on the call centre in Bangkok.l.....nothing on the promotion about that....

I note the same company on its corporate page will not accept complaints about non US stores. The one thing I did respect with that company before was its cleanliness and its control but no more.

Not sure about the cleanliness here but in Canada the whole kitchen was cleaned every night. A lot of the equipment was on wheels and they would roll it out every night. My wife did it for a while so I know it is not a rumor. Not sure about today. Had heard that when Ray Kroc died they loosened up on the strictness.

That was a little off topic so to get back to the topic. Those kind of things happen in many different situations and I for one find them amusing.

Then again I have an advantage over many of the Ex Pats here in Thailand. I was old and retired when I moved here and all my life have been a mild mannered rebel against conformity. I loved it in Mexico where you could order some thing in a restaurant one day go back to the one next door to it the next day and order the same thing and get some thing completely different. The third night go back to the original restaurant order the same thing and you guessed it some thing different.

Thailand fits right in for me. If I want predictability uniformity and boredom I can always return to North America. I am still welcome there. The only bridge I burned was I got rid of every thing material wise that bound me to it. The people and family would welcome me back.

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to protect a democracy

the first thing they need to be taught is

WHAT IS A DEMOCRACY

Depends on who is paying you. The red shirts had their own school to teach it. Graduates were versed in the use of guns and rocket launchers and how to make weapons out of other materials.

Ah yes. Private armies run by criminal tycoons. Just what we need!

You might add convicted in self imposed exile in Dubai to that.

And Yingluck is there amongst them saying 'its nothing to do with Thaksin I am in charge'

Obviously this army has her blessing.

All hail her majesty the queen of Facebook.

This is to rich a subject to pass up.

It is like a horde running around with kick me signs on their back kicking each other and wondering why people are kicking them.

Yeah, that totally doesn't sound like a militia.

And what is their charge; protecting the kingdom from a bunch of people standing around in the street who have literally accomplished exactly nothing?

Where were they the day the prtestors actually did their single act of productive sedition: Feb. 2?

These people seem to want nothing if not a war.

All the talk about democracy is as much a farce as the other faction calling themselves "Democrats".

Sounds to me like they are very disorganized.

Here in Chiang Mai they had a red shirt rally of around 10,000 people. The stronghold of the red shirts. They only managed 10,000 and to get to that number they had to truck them in from all over.

They said they were the Democracy Protection Volunteers Group DPVG for short. They just forgot to put on a different shirt. They claimed they were sending people out to sign up more members in other communities with the idea of having a membership of 200,000.

My money says they go into villages that if you are not a red shirt at heart you pretend to be or suffer consequences.

Not being there or speaking Thai I can not say that they were urging the people to get physically fit in order to support her uncrowned majesty Yingluck.

Now at first I wondered why they would have to be physically fit then I remembered a few weeks back here in the Chiang Mai the stronghold of red shirtism they had 800 give or take protesting by standing out in the hot sun. Yes you would need a certain amount of physical stamina for that.

They had an immensely successful rally. Many people walked away thinking they really are a bunch of losers.

It would be interesting to see how much the bar business sagged while they were out rallying.

I remember staying at a hotel years ago owned by I believe it was either Newin or his son. They protested. It was the silliest looking thing I had ever seen. There was about 50 of them standing in the parking lot with the sun beating down on them. There was some cops assigned to keep order. They were all inside the air conditioned hotel drinking coffee. Being just a visitor at the time I had to have it explained to me. The Goof's were just standing there no signs and not saying any thing just standing there.

Well it would seem the red shirts are trying to change their image. Not their shirt or allegiance.

The rally was held for a new group calling themselves the Democracy Protection Volunteers Group DPVG for short.

They are going out to other areas to get new members to sign up for their new movement.

Sounds to me like they have managed to fool each and every one of them. They will still obey Thaksin. He just forgot to tell them to change the color of their shirt. They claim to have a target goal of signing up 200,000 people.

I found it quite laughable as they have to travel all over the country to get only 200,000 people. The Anti Government had over 100,000 at their own expense come into Bangkok at one time. The red shirts had to truck in 10,000 to Chiang Mai the supposed stronghold of red shirtism. An area of guessing at 200,000 and they could not get 10,000 locals. Doesn't sound like they have a real lot of backers in their stronghold. Can't swear to it but seems to me the last local rally they had they could only attract 800.

I would be interested in an answer to the OPs question for countries other than The States and England.

It is fairly clear to me that English is not the OPs first language and even if it is he could be like me and have most of his money coming through a Canadian bank.

I inquired once at the Bank of Siam Commercial and they said they could do it but my Canadian bank would have to fill in a piece of paper first. Even at that I am not sure of the advantage; I go in there once a month and take my Visa card use it to get enough money for the month and there is a $5 charge on my Visa statement.

Perhaps I am doing it wrong I ask for X number of Baht's. Would I be better off asking for Canadian currency. Then exchanging it over here?

Well it certainly is an interesting thread.

One man has been to see the doctor or what ever you wish to call him and been shall we say cured.

A whole bunch have never been to see him and have absolutely no first hand knowledge of the man's abilities but insist on things that have nothing to do with his ability to cure.

Kind of pointless argument it would seem to me. Either he can do the job or he can't the same as any doctor.

By the way because of the way the law is set up here in Thailand it is a very rare thing to hear about malpractice against doctors who have a legal certificate on their wall. Go to the States and you will find many cases in the courts of malpractice against licensed Doctors. It is one of the reasons for the high cost of medical help in the states.

So I say to you what good is it if the practitioners can not perform the job the paper says they can.

I would enjoy hearing from some one who went to see this fellow and got treated with no results. I don't know about you but it seems to me that many Thai Visa posters love to post negativity and yet I have not heard any about this man's work being negative so far.

Ask your self if you would go to see this man or a man who had a legal piece of paper on his wall along with a record of failure and actual harm?

Not sure why Folk Guitar argues the point let them believe any thing they want. you will still be the better for going to see him. If I go to see him and he does for me what he has done for you I wouldn't give a darn about what was hanging on his wall. For all I care it could be covered with the drawings of a two year old.

speedtest.net is one... some folks say this is not a true test .... to each their own...

trueinternet speed test, ... several pop up for me in google and none require installation of anything... just click and zingo/!

Thanks for the heads up.

Tried several of them and was amazed at the differences in answers.

all the way from 1.36 mbps down load to 31.45 mbps

The upload went from .05 to 1.660

I have a true package of 12mb down and 1.2 up.

I was under the understanding that there was going to be 10,000 red shirts trucked in.

There used to be a way to check them on Thai Visa but I cannot find them.

Can any one point them out to me or any other program I could use.

I goggled it and seems like they all want to have me down load some thing. Not exactly sure if that is the right thing to do.

Can some one show me where the TV checker is or suggest a reliable one.

thanks in advance.

If you know exactly what blood tests you need, I have found CM Ram to be quick, reliable and there is no need to see a doctor, if you insist politely that you don't need assistance in interpreting the results. While they may be more expensive, the cost for most blood tests is fairly cheap, like in Northern John's case -- 300 baht for a test at CM Ram where he was probably in-and-out fairly quickly or 90 baht for the mind-numbing experience of dealing with Suan Dok -- which can be a 1/2 day affair. Up to you.

(Admittedly, the test Northern John was getting is something he'd have periodically, so it may be worth it to figure out the drill at Suan Dok to save 240 baht every few weeks, but if it were a one-off test, personally I'd pay the extra 210 baht for the convenience of Ram.)

The lab at Suan Dok can be accessed with out the circus on the thirteenth floor. It is in a separate building.

"There is, however, a license for him to practice Podology,"

Which Thai institution issues licences permitting the practice of Podology" ?

Please post details .

I can discover easily who licences Drs, Nurses, Dentists etc. -----

Podology ? Why can I not discover the Thai licensing Authority

i make no comment about this mans charitable activity but will continue to challenge the alleged "professional" status until full details of degrees and Thai licence"s are made available.

While I greatly appreciate your input. I have to say that I disagree with the professional attitude. I have seen two doctors here in Chiang Mai who you would call professional because they have pieces of paper but in practice were about the same as having a chimpanzee do brain surgery.

Ask the foot "dr" if he is licensed/registered to practice in Thailand.

His Thai license is right on the wall when you walk into the clinic... Right along side photos of him being honored by the Royal Family.

The fellow is real. Anyone who has actually been to his clinic or been a patient knows this.

None of the detractors has ever been, or we certainly would have heard that by now, what with several long threads about him.

Not one...

Although I respect a lot of what you have had to say over the years about a wide range of things, I have to say that in this regard you are extremely naive and uninformed. If there is a license hanging on his wall registering him to practice medicine in Thailand, I will take back everything I have said to doubt/insult you. As for the photos, I won't take the bait and go there...

No one with diabetes should see anyone who is not licensed as an M.D. They could end up with a leg amputaton over an improperly administered simple procedure.

If you search you will see that the only way you can get the degree form this particular "University" is to buy it for US $50.00. No campus or curriculum exists.

"No one with diabetes should see anyone who is not licensed as an M.D. They could end up with a leg amputaton over an improperly administered simple procedure."

Care to enlighten us on this simple procedure.

As I said when your foot hurts every time it hits the ground you tend to get a different outlook on things.

The pool

Are you sure about loosing weight.

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Northernjohn

Neuropathy !

Go to this reputable site for information

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/basics/definition/con-20019948

Ask the foot "dr" if he is licensed/registered to practice in Thailand.

Secondly ask exactly which university the "degrees" were obtained from.

Unsatisfactory responses to either of these questions would be a reason to exercise extreme caution !

Thanks for the link had never considered the thyroid gland could be involved.

Several times in my child hood I had trouble with my thyroid. I will be asking my doctor for a check up on this.

It is unfortunate that we don't have a doctor here in Chiang Mai that specializes in diabetes. I know that most of them know and treat it but seems there are extending circumstances that can change the over all picture.

thyroid

I have no knowledge of what services are available in Chiang Mai, however a quick Google search produced detail of this chap

http://www.chiangmairam.com/NEW%20CMR/Physician%20Th/CV%20th/Kaset.pdf

To manage the diabetes an Endocrinologist would be the best choice. There must be more than this one gentleman.

If the neuropathy is troublesome an Endocrinologist may advise a consultation with a Neurologist.

Good luck !

Thank you once again. I would never have suspected these other fields as it is almost all the time to my knowledge associated with diabetes and I have never heard of some one seeing a specialists in another field for it.

I will defiantly bear these things in mind although I unfortunately have preconceived ideas that it is really incurable. But can be held in check. So far the vitamin B shots and a B complex have stopped it from getting any worse. Looking forward to my custom made insoles.

I do hope my preconceived ideas are wrong. Also going to check out acupuncture and Tok Sen.

As I attempted to say and did a bad job of it when every time your foot hits the ground and you feel pain you tend to have a different outlook on things. Also I am always aware of it just sitting or laying down. I guess I am fortunate that it has not progressed to far yet and I do keep up with the Vitamin B shots once a month plus a B complex every day. My doctor tells me that if It was to bad I could get another shot every two weeks. No problem My son in law has experience in giving shots and she coached him a little bit.

Northernjohn

Neuropathy !

Go to this reputable site for information

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/basics/definition/con-20019948

Ask the foot "dr" if he is licensed/registered to practice in Thailand.

Secondly ask exactly which university the "degrees" were obtained from.

Unsatisfactory responses to either of these questions would be a reason to exercise extreme caution !

Thanks for the link had never considered the thyroid gland could be involved.

Several times in my child hood I had trouble with my thyroid. I will be asking my doctor for a check up on this.

It is unfortunate that we don't have a doctor here in Chiang Mai that specializes in diabetes. I know that most of them know and treat it but seems there are extending circumstances that can change the over all picture.

thyroid

Thanks for all the replies and feedback. I appreciate them.

My specific problem stems from orthopedic injuries I received 30+ years ago. The problem I have comes from the way I walk, my gait.

No matter how skilled the doctor is, whether he be an orthopedic surgeon or a podiatrist... The way I am is the way I'm gonna stay, I accept that.

My only solution, as far as I know, is to try a preventive method...one of the products from the Podology Center:

http://www.mft-thailand.com/products.htm Specifically: the "special pressure protection silicone tubes".

If anyone out there...anywhere in Thailand, has seen podiatry products for sale...please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

Podiatry Product.jpg

See your inbox.

FG, I have no problem if you are getting satisfaction and relief by going to him, long may it continue.

I'm just a bit concerned why someone with a supposedly legit degree, would then buy an honorary degree, which both you and I could buy for $50?

Why do you assume that he bought it? Just because you or I 'can' buy an honorary degree, not everyone does so... Almost every US President has been awarded them. Should we suppose they bought them too?

At his clinic it's not just about broken bones etc, it's about gait problems, pain, but you can get custom made orthotics etc, there too.

Yes... I'm wearing a pair that Dr. Dirk made for me based on my gait. I'm quite happy with the way they work. Especially as I walk 10k just about every day for exercise.

If I recall correctly, it was from some stupid named place that can only be a degree mill, maybe someone will bother to find the posts.

Honorary degrees from reputable accredited universities, are usually issued in recognition of some king of unique service or very large donations, often in the millions by people like Thaksin. For $50 you get what this guy's got. No big deal you're happy, he's happy, I just hope the first diabetic that loses a foot is happy.

I'm not going to debate you on this any further as it's a very emotive subject to me.

Well you have hit on a point there that I am interested in. I have neurophpy can't for the life of me figure out how to spell it.

It is a nerve disorder in the feet primarily the bottoms I found it very sensitive walking on the beach in Krabi. I had been considering going to see this doctor or no doctor makes no difference to me if he can do the job. I am one of those strange people who cares about their health. If I remember in Folk Guitar's previous posts if he can do nothing for you he will tell you right up front.

I admit I have not been to see him but I did see another Doctor with a piece of paper on his wall who told me there was two things he could do for me. One was give me pain pills and two was order me a custom made set of insoles. I chose the insoles and am awaiting them as I type. He said it was a two to three week time for them to be made. I had to leave a pair of shoes for them to be fitted into. I might add this doctor was recommended by my family doctor whom I have implicit trust in. If she thinks I should see a specialist she tells me so and she has a record from all of them. In short she has my complete medical file all in her folder.

I still have in mind trying Folk Guitar's suggestion. When you are in pain and some one recommends a different approach than the people with a piece of paper on their wall say they have no real answer other than pills you tend to be a bit more open minded. It is easy to talk when every time you take a step it does not hurt but when every time your foot hits the ground you get a different perspective on it.

I admit I am overly sensitive on the issue as I knew a fellow back home who had both his legs cut off below the knee as a result of this disorder. I am fairly sure he did nothing to stop it. But I will and am trying to at least stop it from getting worse.

In closing I would like to remind one and all of the paper lovers that their was a time when the person with the paper on the wall would never recommend penicillin. that was because the paper on the wall is not a guarantee that they know every thing and there is no other way but what they know.

I thought an election could only happen in Thailand if there is a Royal Decree. This decree then the King must accept and sign off on to make legitimate. If this is true and a fact then protesters blocking polling stations and stealing and preventing paper ballots from arriving would be considered breaking the constitution and a huge insult to HRM and a violation of article 112 (LM). Was anybody charged with that from the PDRC?

Did the Army Chief go public and get the Thai ROYAL Army to stop this grave insult and have troops there to assist polling stations and the transport couriers from delivering the paper ballots to these voting destinations?

Kotee is just going to continue to throw these truths in the face of the Army chief as most awake and aware in Thai society as well as anyone who can read foreign press will not accept what will soon happen here and the General knows this.

It’s time for a man (might be Kotee or any other Thai man to get the REAL conversation started so this country can move on from the 60 years plus years of obedient serfdom it has had to endure.

Perhaps you should listen to what Suthep has proposed not what the red shirt sitting on a bar stool says.

Bought the Hatari HT-AP12 unit today at HomePro (Big C @ Super Hwy, Chiang Mai) - on special at 4888 Baht, with an extra HEPA filter and a medium-sized fan thrown in. Can comfirm that the ionizer function may be switched off through the remote control.

Please let us know what you think of it. I'm busy this weekend but may head to HomePro next week to pick one up.

Hard to tell so far, as I'm also running 24/7 a large a/c unit covered in 3M filtrete material which I change weekly under the current conditions. But in the meantime, peace of mind and morale has definitely improved in our household.

Can you explain the reason to use the ionizer or not to use it.

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Your current aircon with 3M filter material over the filter will out perform any stand alone air purifier. Just the shear size of the filter to start, and the amount of air that it circulates. All for a whopping 300B!

I followed a thread last year, went to Macro, and bought several boxes of 3-M filters. I then carefully taped them over the vents of my AC unit in my bedroom. They were solid black in four days, not dark gray. I took them off, but could not wash them. I then taped the rest of roll back on the vents and they were solid black in a week. (I live out towards Mae Rim) I'm wondering how long you 3-M enthusiasts leave yours on.

My wife and I have borrowed a 1,000 dollar air purifier from out landlord in years past. It helped quite a bit in one room.

I'm hoping someone out there who has done some research and bought something they have liked can chime in, because the price between AC units and air purifiers is huge and mystifying and so is the reduction of particulate matter.

How about the operating costs? Last year we ran are air con all the time we were home and the cost was quite high. This year thanks to a lot less smog we have not found the need to turn it on yet. Knock on wood.

With respect to Air purifiers, there are some many different types along with prices

At the end of the day you buy what you think is the best at the price which is right for you

If it didn't have a Hepa air filter I would not consider one.

I looked at the hitari one but as you can't turn the ionizer off it was a show stopper for me (due to possible ozone emission and having a baby)

-

Sorry that is a new idea to me. would it not be just as beneficial to the baby as to an adult?

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The fact this article was written by a PAD-Dem, sticks out very clearly, so permit me to bring some reality into it, and correcting some selected quotes below:

>"Secession talk leaves red-shirt movement vulnerable to clampdown"

Red Shirt Movement?....So does this headline suggest the Democratic and Parliamentary system of Thailand, and those protecting it against coup-mongers, are subject to "clampdown"

Seems that way to me.

Some wishfull thinking by the anti-democracy and Elitist crowd isn't it?

>" It took the red shirts a long time to mobilise people in support of the government, with the anti-government protest starting four months ago"

No it didn't.

The UDD/RS are heavily politicized and can be mobilized on a moment's notice. They can be mobilized at any time, in a place and date of their choosing. If the PAD-Dem's think they are a dormant Movement, reacting only to the excesses of Suthep and the shadowy supporters he is fronting for, shows their ostriching MO.

> "The areas of mobilisation are in the North and the Northeast"

Again some wishful thinking by the PAD-Dem's. Whenever rallies are held in Bangkok, the crowd swells manyfold in the evening when the BKK people arrive. They try to limit the size and reach of this pro-Democracy and pro-electoral Movement at their own peril...

>"These comments have stunned many people".....

Hogwash.

Trying to fabricate an issue to incite the coup-mongers is seen for what it is...Laughable how they try to present a pristine, holier-than-thou stance for themselves and all the incendiary things spewed from the coup-monger stage the last several months. But jump on every utterance from the Pro-Democracy people in order to further their coup-intentions.

>"The anti-government camp did not let the opportunity to weigh into the issue slip away."

Of course not...What would one expect from these people...They are off on such a ridiculous political tangent with this anti-electoral s..., they need to grasp and foment any issue they can, to provide cover for their true intentions.

And what is this misdirection about "anti-Govt. and Pro-Govt." characterization all about?...Again trying to validate themselves by hiding their coup-intentions?...They are ashamed of their own motives and try to hide them.

>"...the red shirts opened themselves up for attack just by floating an idea.."

Red Shirts?...Using affinity clothing colours is a convenient way of deep-sixing the pro- and anti-Govt. characterization......Wouldn't want the International community to peg them for what they are, would we.

The unelectable coup-mongers will use every pretext, fabricated or otherwise, to attack the pro-Democracy crowd.....Just not in Parliament.

Anyway, just some rejoinders to PAD-dem's pontifications..

Hey mate you need to shorten your responses.

Far too much gibberish text here for us farangs...

I agree complete gibberish not worth reading.

+1

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Now, let the tanks roll!!! Prayuth must protect Bangkok from the traitors!!!! Between KOTE and THIDA.... is there even a single-celled aemeoba's brain there???!!!

You forgot the court jester.

Secession talk is just a red herring. No one wants it or believes it will happen. Just a distraction trying to deflect attention away from the main game.

Just what is the main game in your red shirt mind.

As I see it the protestors are trying to get an honest government and the PTP & their red shirt militia are trying to build the militia up and remain in power so they can keep their nose in the trough.

I think that covers it.

Did I miss any thing?

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ManofReason, on 07 Mar 2014 - 08:06, said:

I say keep the thread.

Come the next election the Democrats will get crushed (for the seventh time in a row) by PTP's overwhelming popularity.

Why not let the Yellow minority enjoy 5 minutes of popularity (even if it is imaginary)

And the protests will continue, regardless of who wins , kick both out and appoint a independent parliament. Start again you are both as bad as each other.

The current protest is a last stand, the death rattle of the dying Yellow insurrection. So don't be too concerned, the decade long series of protests are nearly over, the rout is almost complete.

So, there is no need for an "independent" (by which I assume you mean unelected) parliament, the people of the nation are more than capable of electing their own government and will shortly do so.

The problem with that scenario if it's true is you could end up with virtually a one party state. Whether someone else would come along to challenge and win might be down to how much the PTP allow a new opposition to participate. They might act fairly but then again they might not.

Well I have to agree with you. That being said do you think the PTP would all of a sudden turn honest if so why.

I can see the scene happening if the opposition is Chalerm or some other Thaksin hired hand. Thaksin would then own both sides.

As the situation sits now I am under the understanding that unless the Democrats voted in the last election they can not run for office. If that is the case look forward to a bigger control of the Parliament than the PTP now have.

In my opinion I believe if that was to happen one step out of line and the PTP would either have the Army stepping in or a civil war.

Sucks for the Democ rats. They should have participated in the elections.

Well in a way you are right. They would have won.

On the other hand it would have been a back door approval of how the government is run in such a corrupt way.

They recognized that change is necessary and not from just one side. That is why they chose to support the idea of a non elected council to make the changes. Of course the changes would have to go to the voters for approval.

They are waiting for signs of an election, not a highest bidder auction full of corruption. PTP is really running out of steam and options. Well deserved. The bed you make is the one in which you must lie (not those kind of lies Yingluck & chalerm)

The only time we will see an election in Thailand is after the election process is reformed. With severe penalties for vote buying and selling. Also strict control over the ballots being secret and if not counted right away guarded in such a way as they would not be available to some one to change them.

This is only one of the changes needed in the constitution.

"...showed that the proportion of invalid ballots in 12 of the 38 provinces in which Pheu Thai candidates won exceeded the nationwide average of 13.3 per cent..."

This shows a decline in PT popularity only if "invalid ballots" translates to "votes for the Opposition and thus were declared invalid".

Otherwise what it really means is Red Shirt territory electorate are a bit more ignorant than the national average as they cast invalid votes (ie, make mistakes on the ballot).

Also make mistakes in who they do vote for.

Then again many of us really figured they were that ignorant. Let's face it what kind of a chance have they been given to get an education with this and all the previous governments. You can bet your bottom baht that the 2,000 schools with out electricity are in Red Shirt country.